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Blue marlin off Exmouth to mulloway in the Great Southern there's plenty to read in Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 5 February 2021 🎣

| By Seamus on 2/5/2021 2:26:41 AM | Views (928)

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Recfishwest
Fishing Report

05/02/21

Kurt Charuga had an epic session fishing with Luke Ryan, of Tackle West, off Jurien Bay last month and caught plenty of great fish, including this dhufish. Watch all of the action in Tackle West's video.

Dear <>,

Welcome to WA's biggest and best weekly fishing report!

Although this week's five-day COVID-19 lockdown limited fishing action in the metro, Peel and South West regions, we still have photos to be featured of fish which were caught in those areas before the measure came into effect.

And, with the restrictions set to be lifted at 6pm tonight, 5 February, we've got detailed reports of what's biting and where to help assist your next fishing mission!

However, if you're fishing this week, remember to adhere to State Government rules and wear a facemask and not travel-in-and-out of the metro area and Peel region. For more information about the post-lockdown COVID-19 restrictions, visit the State Government website here.

The rest of the State was operating as usual this week, so there are many fantastic photos and insightful reports for fishing hotspots such as Broome, Exmouth and Albany!

In this report, you'll read all about what's biting across the State brought to you by keen fishers Joachim Azzopardi, John Curtis and Peter Fullarton.

Western Angler editor Scott Coghlan has a weekly segment, Scott's Species. It provides a unique insight into catching many sought-after species found across WA. Check it out below!

For anyone wanting to contribute to the weekly fishing report, photos reflecting Recfishwest's responsible fish handling practices will be given preference.

If you know someone who would love to receive these reports and needs some help on the fishing front, forward this onto them! Join us here.

Pic of the Week!

Sensational hoodlum! Aron Dixon, of Dixon Brothers Fishing, was more than happy to land this yellowtail kingfish from the stones somewhere in the Great Southern during an awesome day's fishing!

Your fishing photos

If you want to see yourself or your kids feature in our next weekly State-wide Fishing Report, send your best fishing photos and a description to zach@recfishwest.org.au!

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Fishing young guns

Fishing with his father Brett 4km north-west of Rottnest Island late last month, Archie Martin was pleasantly surprised to reel up this blue groper! Awesome work, Archie - keep up the fantastic fishing.

Broome Catches

While this capture was 260km off Broome at the magnificent Rowley Shoals, Robert Dube's yellowfin tuna was too good not to share! Robert also got stuck into solid trevally and red bass at the Rowleys!

Boats

Dampier Creek has produced more barramundi this week, after a beast measuring 1.24m was caught last week. More barra have been caught in Willie and Crab creeks and there were others picked up in the lower reaches of the Fitzroy River when this area of system was accessible before the rain and flooding. There has been some good threadfin salmon action at The Fingers, with boats catching and releasing close to two dozen fish in the 80cm to 1m range in a session.

Shore based

Baitfish schooling near the jetty have been attracting a variety of predators including queenfish, golden trevally, GTs and barramundi to the structure. More queenfish have been caught from the rocks at Manari, with mangrove jack to an impressive 62cm. Lots of cherabin are being picked up in the small pools formed by recent floods near the Fitzroy River.

Exmouth Catches

Hayley Dellar got her fix of gamefishing off Exmouth and landed this impressive blue marlin! Awesome.

Boats

Billfish enthusiasts are still encountering lots of big blue marlin out wide. Yellowfin tuna have also been caught in these waters, with dolphinfish and the occasional wahoo. Smaller black marlin and a few sailfish have been caught around the 100m line while the shallower waters, closer to the reef edge, have been producing catches of Spanish and shark mackerel. Reef fishers have been catching red emperor, Rankin cod and spangled emperor in about 60m of water. Goldband snapper were found in 110m, while ruby snapper are in 200m and deeper.

Shore based

Spangled emperor have been caught on baits and lures at the accesses located between Tantabiddi and the lighthouse. Queenfish have been turning up at VLF Bay and Old Bundegi as well, as the lower areas of Exmouth Gulf. There are mangrove jack and varieties of small trevally at the marina. Fly fishers have been getting multiple shots at permit along the sand flats of the gulf.

Scott’s Species – species, descriptive words

Jacks are aggressive beasts, as show by this one which hit Western Angler editor Scott Coghlan’s stickbait intended for a GT!

In this week’s edition of Scott’s Species, Western Angler editor Scott Coghlan casts his attention to WA’s north and discusses a formidable inshore opponent — the mangrove jack. One of the most fun fish to catch in our northern creek and inshore waters and superb looking with their crimson colouration and prominent teeth. Read the full story here.

Kalbarri Catches

Boats

This week, Spanish mackerel were caught on bibbed minnows and rigged whole baits trolled north and south of the river mouth. Cobia were also caught by fishers trolling for mackerel and there were also a couple caught on bottom rigs. Crews who set out to target reef fish did well on pink snapper, baldchin groper and Rankin cod in depths to 30m, while those who travelled wider were rewarded with catches of red emperor and dhufish.

Shore based

Tailor have been hit-and-miss along the beaches but have appeared at spots including Red Bluff, Wittecarra Creek and Back Beach. However, while they are there some mornings and evenings, the tailor have been absent the next. Lots of dart have turned up along the coast and there also seems to be plenty of skippy around. Rocks fishers landed a few tailor, as well as pink snapper and estuary cod from the southern cliff platforms. The Murchison River has been producing black bream, estuary cod, yellowfin whiting and crabs.

Geraldton Catches

Casting stickbaits along Geraldton's beaches in search for tailor is an ideal way to spend an afternoon, Ben Svenson says. Check out Ben's YouTube channel to see what else he's been catching lately.

Boats

Aside from a flurry of Spanish mackerel catches a fortnight ago, the toothy sportfish have been hard to find this summer. Areas worth trying for mackerel include the back of Pensioners Bank, the shipping channel markers and the ground near African Reef. Schools of small striped and longtail tuna are in a range of depths and areas. The best of the reef fishing this week was at South West Bank where dhufish to 10kg, pink snapper and baldchin groper were caught in fair numbers. Mat Svenson has caught a couple of fun-sized spangled emperor while fishing from his kayak this week.

Shore based

Tailor are being caught along the Flat Rocks to Greenough River mouth stretch in the early morning and evening. The first and second points at Greenough have been producing lots of pike along with the tailor. Bigger tailor have been caught at Tarcoola and Southgates, both of which have also been producing small mulloway, as well as pike and herring. Similar species have been caught at Drummond's Cove, with some the herring measuring more than 30cm.

Lancelin Catches

Hey, Arnold! Evan Arnold was happy with this solid flathead while working the depths off Green Head.

Boats

Baldchin groper continue to dominate the catches offshore, with numerous boats reporting good numbers from a wide range of depths. With water temperatures recorded above 24C, mackerel are becoming more active and there have been reports of captures at Direction Bank and White Bank. Good skippy have been caught along White Bank's reefs, while small yellowtail kingfish have been in residence along the outer bay's fringing reef. Small boats and kayak fishers have been catching plenty of herring from the sand holes at south end of the bay. The deeper weed banks of the bay are holding good numbers of snook and skippy.

Tailored Treks' Peter Fullarton with a lovely baldchin groper while fishing off Lancelin!

Shore based

Surf beaches have been fishing well for chopper tailor, herring and sand whiting. Fishers casting small hardbody lures or metals have been able to escape blowfish and land tailor, herring and flathead. Lancelin's jetty has been providing catches of herring from the southern-end, while bait casting pilchards off the northern-end in the evening has produced tailor.

Esperance Catches

Boats

Dinghy and inshore fishers have been doing well on herring, sand whiting and squid within the bay. Schools of small southern bluefin tuna have been appearing inshore and out wide. Mitch Johnson used a variety of jigs to catch-and-release many Samson fish to 25kg during a recent session wide of the islands. Mixed catches of nannygai, breaksea cod, queen snapper and harlequin fish have been picked up near the islands and out wide.

Shore based

Skippy, squid and the occasional King George whiting are on offer at Taylor Street Jetty. Small schools of salmon have been appearing most days at Fourth Beach, Nine Mile and Fourteen Mile. Roses has been fishing well for tailor, skippy to 3kg and herring. Alexander Bay has salmon, big skippy and lots of herring. Mulloway have been landed at Thomas River, while small southern bluefin tuna have been appearing within casting distance of the rocks at Hellfire Bay.

Albany Catches

Jigging DEEEEEP! Great Southern fishing fanatic Brody Ogle headed out to the continental shelf off Albany last week and tempted a few bottom-dwelling hapuka from the depths. Well done, Brodie!

Boats

King George whiting enthusiasts are catching close to their boat limits through the inshore waters of Two Peoples Bay, Cosy Corner, Michaelmas and Breaksea islands, Frenchman Bay and Goode Beach. Sand whiting were also caught alongside the Geordies and squid catches have slowly been improving inshore. Reef fishers generally had to work hard for their catches of red, pink and queen snapper, dhufish and breaksea cod in and around the 60m to 80m depths. Samson fish and yellowtail kingfish can be found at many of the reefs.

Shore based

Hunter Sewell was chasing small mulloway on 8lb gear in the Kalgan River, but landed this 1m model!

Salmon have been caught at some of the local beaches early morning and evening, however, these catches are not thought to be associated with this year’s migratory run. Many local observers have maintained that the flurry of salmon catches during the past few weeks have been related to fish that have been residing in local waters following the runs of previous seasons. Nice tailor have recently been caught at Nanarup and Mutton Bird and there are quite a few skippy and tarwhine also about. Herring numbers are expected to build along the coast during the coming weeks. Good catches of sand whiting have been coming from Cable Beach. Frenchman Bay and Cosy Corner are worth trying for King George whiting. Black bream enthusiasts have reported the rivers to the west of town to be producing, on average, bigger black bream as opposed to the two local systems. Mulloway have been caught in the Kalgan River's upper reaches.

South West Catches

Cooper Dyer out-fished his father, Garry, off Bunbury recently and landed this dhuie. Love your work!

Boats

Reef fishers were doing best in 30m to 50m of water off Cape Naturaliste's west coast last week, catching dhufish, breaksea cod, queen snapper and pink snapper. More pink snapper have been caught within Geographe Bay off Dunsborough, especially along the Four Mile and Eight Mile. There are Samson fish and yellowtail kingfish off the tip of Cape Naturaliste, while squid can be picked up along the seagrass beds off Quindalup. The 30m depths off Bunbury has been producing dhufish and skippy have been keeping fishers in these areas entertained, especially once burley is introduced.

Shore based

Last week, ahead of the five-day COVID-19 lockdown, surf fishers caught tailor at Moses Rock, Mitchells and Yallingup. Adult and juvenile salmon have also been caught along the beaches together with herring, skippy, sand whiting and tarwhine. Small poppers and miniature stickbaits can be used to catch yellowfin and school whiting along the Geographe Bay sand flats. The tailor fishing had also fired up along Bunbury's beaches, while there were reports of good whiting between Buffalo Beach and Binningup.

Mandurah and surrounds

Mandurah

With the COVID-19 lockdown likely to lift at 6pm today, 5 February, Mandurah fishers will be able to cast their eye towards the area's hot tailor run along the beaches once more - don't forget though, there are still restrictions in place including needing to wear a face-mask. For more details, visit the WA Government's website here. Beaches near Golden Bay are set to still have tailor on offer, in addition to herring and whiting. For those chasing a feed of blue swimmer crabs, it will be worth dropping nets in the Mandurah Estuary's deeper waters.

SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / WARNBRO / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY

Pelagic species, such as dolpinfish and different tuna varieties, are likely to be on offer at Mangles Bay Fishing Club's fish aggregating devices (FADs) off Rockingham. Casting metal slices or soaking mulies along the beaches at Warnbro, Kwinana, Long Point, Port Kennedy and Secret Harbour is likely to result in tailor catches. These same beaches could have mulloway on offer, especially after dark.

Perth Catches

After fishing the FADs based south of Rottnest Island for pelagic speedsters last week, Chris Webster turned his attention to bottom bashing and was stoked with the result — this fat flathead!

Boats

Last weekend, before the five-day COVID-19 lockdown was implemented, Spanish mackerel were continuing to be caught in metropolitan waters. There were reports of Spaniards up to 15kg caught in Cockburn Sound, within a mile of Rous Head, near Rottnest Island and along the western edge of Three Mile Reef. Apparently the mackerel have been more willing to strike trolled rigged garfish as opposed to lures. The metro fish aggregating devices (FADs) are still holding dolphinfish, as well as yellowfin tuna and the occasional wahoo. Dhufish have mostly been caught in 40m to 80m of water, while baldchin groper are being found north of Rottnest. Also, there seems to be a lot of big breaksea cod about in 30m to 50m of water. An estimated 20kg yellowtail kingfish was landed near Rottnest at the weekend. The sand holes in 20m to 30m of water are holding big sand whiting.

Shore based

Unfortunately, the ever-popular and community-driven Snapper Guardians — which was set to be held tomorrow, 6 February — was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. For more information about the COVID-19 post-lockdown restrictions, visit the State Government's website here. We very much share the community’s disappointment in having to cancel Snapper Guardians, but we are sure everyone understands there was no alternative and it was the right thing to do. Last week, surf fishers were enjoying great tailor fishing along the metropolitan beaches. Cottesloe Groyne, Grant Street Reef, Swanbourne Drain, Trigg Point and Burns Beach were among the spots producing tailor up to 50cm. There are fair numbers of herring along the coast and schools of juvenile salmon turning up at areas that feature reef. Squid can be targeted from the Fremantle rock walls, together with other bread-and-butter species. Flathead catches are improving along the shallows in the Swan and Canning rivers. Blue swimmer crabs are being caught in very good numbers by divers, as well as those scooping and dropping nets. However, it is important to note the State Government is still advising fishers and crabbers to remove the head, guts (mustard) and gills from crabs caught in the Swan and Canning rivers, before freezing, cooking or eating them and not to eat mussels from the system. This is due to high levels of toxic algae that was present in the system in the last couple of summers, although there has been no detections in recent water samples.

Jayson Spencer had a fun-filled session chasing black bream in the Canning River late last month.

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Catch Information

Species:
Australasian Snapper

Barramundi

Black Marlin

Blue Marlin

Bluefin Tuna

Bluefish

Cobia

Dusky Flathead

Flathead Catfish

Mulloway

Red Drum

Sailfish

Snook

Spanish Mackerel

Wahoo

Whiting

Yellowfin Tuna

This Fishing Report was submitted on 2/5/2021 2:26:41 AM by Seamus and last updated on 2/16/2021 11:31:41 AM.

Location

3/45 Northside Drive
Hillarys, WA AU

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